Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Medium

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

Our local guide was fantastic (I am sorry, but I can't remember her name). She was very friendly and knowledgeable. She knew the local workers in the market really well and she was very respectful.

Ms. Amalia K., United Kingdom - 05 Jun 2018

Our guide was amazing. The tour group was very small and the attention she was able to pay us all was wonderful. I felt like I learned so much from her about her city. It was great having a tour guide that was around my age to tell me the places that would interest me the most- being relate-able is always a big thing when taking a tour. I think our tour guide was top notch, and I wish her nothing but the best!

Ms. Monique S., USA - 28 Dec 2017

The tour was great. I am a Single traveller and my guide Jurgen showed me so much about vegetables, fruits, food and Coffee. It was an awesome tour! I booked it spontaneously a few hours before and it worked quite well. Actually I was alone in this tour die to the reason that it is low season. I can total recommend this tour!

Mr. Valerie D., Germany - 07 Nov 2016

Tour snapshot

Unmask the beauty and culture of contemporary Costa Rican life on this San Jose walking tour that takes you through the busy streets, bustling markets, and tranquil parks. Discover a side to this city only heard from the mouths of locals, while indulging in typical cuisine and one of Costa Rica’s most delectable exports – coffee.

Get your cameras ready because you don’t want to miss a single moment of this colourful local experience. On this San Jose tour you’ll get up close and personal with Costa Rican life, through local food, history, and even the herbal remedies of folk medicine. Enjoy a hands-on lesson on exotic plants, fruits, vegetables, and the smoothies they can create in the midst of the vibrant city markets. Nothing could get you closer to authentic San Jose than strolling through the streets with a local as they show you the ins and outs of daily life. Take a wander through the city with us on this tour that takes typical San Jose and turns it into a local experience you’ll never forget.

Your San Jose food tour starts with a morning pick-me-up cup of coffee in a café located in the Borbons market where you’ll get to know your guide and relax into your surroundings. From here, we’ll take a stroll through the vibrant market, tasting local fresh fruits while learning about the agricultural history of the area. We’ll visit a number of stands, from a coffee stand to learn the Costa Rican chorreado brewing method to a local folk medicine stand where we’ll learn about curing everything from a hangover to a broken heart. Coffee and markets play a very important role in the history of San Jose and you’ll get the inside scoop on what they mean to the city and its citizens.

Your San Jose market tour continues along local roads towards the Central Market. Seeing the diverse sites of these markets will help you get to know the country and its rich history and on this tour, you’ll be another sense – taste – to get more in tune with San Jose. There’s no better place to experience local cuisine than the Central Market, a 120-year old building full to the brim with typical Costa Rican food and drink. Here you can sample local delicacies, learn about the herbs used in local medicines, or simply sip on your second rich and smooth Costa Rican coffee of the day. The Central Market is an experience that no visitor the San Jose should miss, and with a local guide by your side you’ll unearth all the secrets behind this San Jose treasure.

The Central Market will be the last stop on this San Jose tour, and by the end you’ll be full of local knowledge (and perhaps even some local lingo!), giving you the full San Jose experience that is sure to be a highlight of your time in this vibrant city.

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English speaking guide, food samples.

Exclusions: Food and drink other than specified above, souvenirs, items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for your guide.

Dress standard: Casual clothing is appropriate for this tour, and we advise you wear comfortable shoes. Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen may need to be worn if the weather is hot.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: Bring water, sunblock, and a hat for morning tours. It could be useful to bring a camera and some money, just in case you want to buy some souvenirs or take photos. An umbrella or poncho is recommended if rain is forecasted.

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

Traveller rating

Rating summary

Ms. Amalia K. from United Kingdom travelled on 05 Jun 2018

Our local guide was fantastic (I am sorry, but I can't remember her name). She was very friendly and knowledgeable. She knew the local workers in the market really well and she was very respectful.

Ms. Monique S. from USA travelled on 28 Dec 2017

Our guide was amazing. The tour group was very small and the attention she was able to pay us all was wonderful. I felt like I learned so much from her about her city. It was great having a tour guide that was around my age to tell me the places that would interest me the most- being relate-able is always a big thing when taking a tour. I think our tour guide was top notch, and I wish her nothing but the best!

Mr. Valerie D. from Germany travelled on 07 Nov 2016

The tour was great. I am a Single traveller and my guide Jurgen showed me so much about vegetables, fruits, food and Coffee. It was an awesome tour! I booked it spontaneously a few hours before and it worked quite well. Actually I was alone in this tour die to the reason that it is low season. I can total recommend this tour!

Mr. Justin S. from USA travelled on 25 Jan 2016

Good tour. Guide could have been more enthusiastic. People with passion for their city, country, lifestyle would be great for a position within your company. Tour guides should try to get to know a few of each of the shop keepers along the tour. so the shop keepers would be excited to see us and hopefully sell us some of their items. I felt we were in the way sometimes. Would recommend your guild to have a flag, sign, or umbrella with the name "Urban Adventure" on it so the meeting point and finding them would be easier. Also, directions are good but if you're not familiar with the area, then having the directions in the native language (Spanish) would be good. I got lost trying to find the meeting place and if they were in Spanish (as well as English), then I might have had a little help from the local in finding the correct meeting place. Other than that, I enjoyed the tour and the ability to try some local items.

Chathura P. from Australia travelled on 12 Aug 2015

Eric was a fantastic guide. He not only knew the history and all the facts about the markets and churches that we visited, but also know the local people who were working in the markets. I think that made the tour significantly better.

Ms. Yvonne M. from United Kingdom travelled on 23 Aug 2014

Carlos was very knowledgeable about food and how to cook it, so when we went around a market, it was a delight. Historical dates and facts tumbled out like interesting anecdotes, so you didn’t realise you were being given a history lesson. And he obviously loved what he was doing.
This very pleasant young man, whose English was impressive and vocabulary extensive, learned it all at school! The language and the history. Would that our education system were that inspiring to children.